License To Flirt
by The Devil's Daughter Blues
Summary: Bella and Edward have always been best friends but when her parents get divorced, Bella is forced to move with her mom. Bella decides to come back, only to find out she has feelings for her best friend, but he doesn't have any for her. All Human.
1. Prologue

Prologue

My life changed on my tenth birthday, when my parents came into my room and announced that they were separating, like a divorce. They said that it would be for the best… but I don't think they meant for me. Especially since my mom had decided that I was leaving with her.

So much for better for me.

I watched silently out the back car window as we pulled away from the curb by our old house, leaving everything I knew behind. I couldn't stop this moment from happening as much as I wished I could've but… I knew that no matter what I did, it wouldn't change anything. I was leaving, moving to Arizona and saying goodbye to everything I loved and knew.

My eyes darted out the front window, watching the trees zoom past before returning my gaze to the road behind us as we turned the corner. As we neared the Cullen's house my breath caught in my throat when I noticed someone was chasing our car. His bronze hair bobbed as he ran, not fast enough to catch the car but as fast as his legs could take him. I moved my gaze to my mother. "Stop the car," I stated firmly, my eyes narrowing at her as I said that.

Her gaze moved to me as I said that and her eyes narrowed back. She didn't want to stop because she knew that if I got out, I probably wouldn't get back in. "Why?" she asked, her eyes showing hesitation.

"I just need to do one thing."

She pulled over quietly and watched me open my car door. "Just be qu-" her words cut off by the slam of my door. I ran towards him, knowing he saw me. We both slowed our paces as we neared each other, I could see he had been crying. He never cried so this was new for me.

He came close to me, before wrapping his arms around my waist. He pulled me to him, his cheek pressed against mine. "Don't leave me," he murmured into my ear as I felt my cheeks dampen with my own tears.

The move was inevitable, I had to leave and he knew this but yet he was trying to find a way to keep me here. I wrapped my arms around his neck before burying my head into his hair. I took a slow breath, inhaling how he smelt as I tried to calm myself, I knew I needed to be calm for him. I pulled out of his hug a little to get a good look at him, my arms tightening around his neck. "I'll always," I began, a small smile folding along my lips that didn't really look like a smile probably. "find my way back to you. This isn't goodbye."

He shook his head before saying, "Stay with me. I don't want to loose my best friend."

"You aren't loosing me, I promise."

His green eyes were red from tears as he met my gaze, there was a hardness in them. The way he looked at me made me feel like crawling into a hole. "You are leaving me," he said coldly before letting go of me completely and turned away. "I hate this. I hate not being able to see you again."

I sighed and slid my hands into my back pockets of my jeans as I looked at him. "I hate it too," I muttered before walking around to look at him. I hugged him again, before pulling out of the hug. "I'll call you."

I watched his hands tightened as I said that. But I sighed and walked towards the car, a tear sliding down my cheek. So this is what it felt like. To say goodbye to someone important. This wasn't my choice, I couldn't change anything. No matter how much I wanted to stay.

I got in the car and slammed the door shut. I could see my mother's mouth was opened as if she was trying to find the words that would comfort me. But I didn't want to be comforted. I wanted to stay.

8o8o8o

_Edward plopped down on my bed beside me, his wet hair clung to his face as he flipped through one of my comic books. I sat down next to him, pulling out a different comic book and flipped through it. I'd read all of them but it was okay, this is what Edward and I did…_

_Its like that when you are best friends with a guy. I looked over at him, a frown tugging on my lips. "What's wrong, Eddie?" I asked, using one of my old nicknames for him as I closed my comic book. _

_He shrugged, his head moving with his shoulders. "Tanya kissed me." he said, making a face that said 'ew' all over it. _

_I laughed and nudged him with my shoulder, we were nine at the time. "Your gonna have to kiss a girl eventually."_

_He laughed with me before looking at me seriously. "Yeah, but I'd rather kiss you more than her," he muttered before smiling._

8o8o8o

With the memories of this place locked up forever in my mind, I promised myself to never forget him.

But even now, I wonder if he would want to see me. Its been years since I left Forks, I hadn't been able to go back.


	2. Chapter One: Second Chances

_I watched the clouds swirl together as Edward and I laid next to each other. My hand clung to his as I waited for the rain. This was what we did every time we knew it was about to rain, call it our tradition. I settled into the grass, getting impatient. "Why won't it just rain?" I complained to him as I frowned._

_Laughter shook Edward's small frame as he thought through the best way to answer my stupid question. "Jingle Bells, its not going to just, you know, rain whenever you want it," he said, his green eyes moving over to me. "That's what makes it fun when you are waiting for it."_

_I sighed and shifted against the grass again. He squeezed my hand before turning his gaze back to the sky. I closed my eyes and decided to count out the seconds until it started. _One,_ I thought to myself as I took a deep breath. I barely had reached ten when I felt something wet hit my forehead. _

_My eyes popped open as the rain began. I felt his hand tighten around mine as it began to pour harder. "Its raining," he murmured._

"_I know," I whispered back._

8o8o8o

Today, my mother was getting married to her long time boyfriend, Phil. Of course, I was happy for her and him but deep inside I wished I was somewhere else, I wasn't exactly sure where. Just somewhere else. I quietly sat by the window in the main dressing room where my mother was getting ready, my head resting lightly against the glass. I wasn't really looking at anything but I knew that I was waiting for something.

A soft sigh slipped through my lips as I looked quietly out the window. _What are you waiting for Bella?_ I silently asked myself as I felt someone put their hand on my shoulder. My eyes moved up to meet a very familiar face. "Esme?" I asked in shock. Of course she had come to my mother's wedding. They used to be best friends.

I jumped off of where I was sitting and hugged her tightly. A light laugh echoed in my ears and a soft happy sigh escaped my lips this time. "How have you been dear Bella?" she asked, her voice was soft as a feather.

"I'm alive," I replied, my eyes moving around the room. "Who else came with you?" I couldn't hide the excitement in my voice, the hope of getting to see Alice, Emmett, Carlisle and… Edward. Maybe he wouldn't want to see me, maybe he was still mad about when I left. I couldn't judge him if he was.

Esme smiled and released me from the hug as she quickly patted my hand. "Everyone came, they are getting seats while they wait for me. They will be excited to see you," she murmured as she hurried over to my mother.

I smiled to myself, everyone was here, Edward didn't hate me. What a relief. I walked pass my mother, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing my soft blue dress off the hanger, its silky fabric hung to the floor and looked beautiful. Hopefully I didn't ruin it by the end of the night.

I quietly walked pass the several other brides maids and opened the bathroom door. I shut the door before locking it. Its always harder to do things when you stare in the mirror and there I was, looking in the mirror and feeling stupid. _Come on, you can do this._ I thought to myself as I turned my back to the mirror.

I took a deep breath before pulling my shirt over my head, feeling my hair fall against my skin and tickle my back. I glanced around the room, searching for the dress before picking it up and undoing the buttons on the back. I slid my still clothed legs into the dress before pulling off my tight jeans.

I turned back to the mirror, my skin looked paler than usual which was a shock for most people. I was supposed to be tan, dirty blonde and well, beautiful. That's what people expected when you are from Arizona so I didn't quite fit the profile.

I pulled my hair up in a elastic and unlocked the door, deciding that I needed Alice's fashion help. I quickly did up the buttons before walking out the door, carrying my jeans and shirt in my arms. I set them down with my other things and turned to see Esme smiling at me.

A sudden yell of my mother moved Esme's attention back to her as I moved towards the door. _Please let Alice be alone_, I thought to myself silently as I made my way down the hallway barefoot in my dress.

As I got to the ballroom where the wedding would be, I stood up on my tippy toes and looked for Alice. I jumped as I felt someone's hand on my shoulder before I turned around to see her standing there, smiling.

As I looked at Alice, it seemed like she had grown much taller since I'd left. Her black hair was short and straightened, reaching down to her shoulders. Her wide green eyes met mine and her lips parted as she began to laugh. "I'm guessing you are looking for me," she stated as I settled back to the floor.

"Yes, I am," I mumbled as I noticed she wasn't alone. A guy who looked to be about a year older than us with blonde hair and blue eyes stood behind her, holding one of Alice's small hands and… It took my eyes a moment to register that it was Edward, in a nice suit, smiling down at me.

His hair hadn't changed much since I'd last seen it and he still had his piercing green eyes that I swore could see right through me. A wide smile curved on my lips as I threw my arms around his neck, enthusiastically. I couldn't help it after all, not seeing your best friend for six years can do things to your relationship but Edward still remained the same guy I'd left.

I hope.

His arms slid around my waist, picking me up off the floor as we hugged. A shaky laugh escaped my lips as I felt a sudden rush of feelings move through me and settled in my stomach. Was _I _having butterflies about being hugged by Edward, my _best friend_. Of all people.

He released me from our tight hug before letting his eyes survey me, a blush creeping onto my cheeks. Before he could say anything, Emmett came up and place a hand firmly on Edward's shoulder. "Well," his voice boomed loudly. "Our little Bella has just grown up, hasn't she?"

I blushed a darker shade of red as he said that and I noticed Edward shrug slightly. I bit my lower lip as Emmett made his way over to me and pulled me into one of his famous bear hugs. "Hi Emmett," I gasped as he squeezed my waist tightly.

He laughed and let me go, causing me to stagger back until Alice wrapped her free arm around my waist to steady me. "Hey Bella," he replied before wandering off somewhere. Well, it was nice to see you too, I thought before laughing out loud as Alice began to fiddle with my hair. "Come on Bella," she urged, pushing me towards the stairs that lead up to where everyone got ready. "I'll help you get dressed and beautiful before you have to walk down the aisle."

I sighed and nodded before turning back to Edward, who wore a confused face. "I'll see you after the wedding, okay?" I said with a small smile, feeling sad that I was leaving him again after just seeing him.

"You're leaving?" he asked.

I nodded. "Only for a minute," I said before he smiled and nodded, watching me as Alice dragged me down the hall towards the stairs. I stumbled a little but quickly caught up with her. "Alice, wait up!" I called as she started up the stairs.

How could someone so small be so fast? I picked up the edge of my dress and lifted it up off the floor and ran up the stairs, my feet moving carefully and quietly as I made sure not to trip. As I reached the top of the stairs, I heard someone crying.

Damn, was the only word that crossed my mind as I dashed across the room, almost falling once. But eventually I reached my mother safely and wrapped my arms around her before glancing around, hoping for an answer. The only person to meet my eyes was Esme and she sighed before saying, "She is having second thoughts."

My eyes widened a little as I brushed some of her hair out of her face. "Mom, is everything alright?" I asked in a gentle voice, seeing her brown eyes meet mine and I knew she'd just started crying.

"I don't know, Bella," she sighed.

I shook my head at her and looked around for some sort of help but no one would meet my eyes. A frown appeared on my lips. "Do you love him?" was the only question I could think of.

She nodded. "Yes."

"Then get married."

Alice's sense of fashion and talent with makeup has always baffled me but now as I sat in front of the mirror, gazing at myself in amazement, I knew Alice had gotten better. A soft smile rested on my lips as I scanned over my now almost perfect face.

Of course I didn't look as perfect as Edward or Esme or Alice but I looked as close to it as humanly possible. My lips parted as I checked my lipstick to make sure it looked good. I wondered what everyone would think once I came out of the bathroom. It was between a line of women needing to go to the bathroom and everyone staring. Both seemed rather scary.

I fixed my dress a little before heading towards the door, but Alice caught my hand and pulled me back to her. "Are you ever going to come back to Forks, even just to visit?" she asked, her eyes shining.

I shrugged a bit before pressing my lips together. "I want to… maybe I can come back while they go on their honeymoon and then we'll see whether or not I'll stay longer," I offered, more than ever wanting to go back to Forks.

I leaned against the door, looking at her for a long moment. I raised an eyebrow at her, wondering why she even asked. She must've sense where my thoughts were because she sighed. "Edward… changed after you left. He's somewhat of a player now and I just don't know him anymore. I see him with different girl every night and something I don't even see him at night. He's been hanging out with the wrong people, Bells and I need you to help me change that," she said, her eyes moving to the ground. "I love my brother. But I just wish I knew him."

My eyes widened, I hadn't noticed a change in him but maybe he'd gotten dressed up like that just for this. "I don't see how I could help anyway…" I mumbled, my eyes dropping towards the ground. I just didn't see what she wanted and why she was asking me to come back for him.

She threw her hands up in frustration. "You're his best friends!" she said, her eyes narrowed at me. She seemed mad and I guess I could understand that, since I had asked that.

I should've known that.

I turned towards the door, my hand sliding around the handle as I unlocked it. I began to turn it when I paused, glancing over my shoulder. "I'll see what I can do," I murmured before opening the door and slipping into the main room.

As I left the bathroom, I heard a surprised gasp and I turned to see my mother standing there, smiling. I could see that the crying was over now completely, she seemed more sure about it. "You look beautiful, Bella," she told me.

"Thanks," I said softly before sliding on my ballet flats, which I knew my mother had chosen just for me. I figured she didn't want me following on guests and all, it just wasn't a good thing.

As my gaze moved around the room, I realized that it was about time to go down the aisle. I shook my head as I tried to clear my thoughts. _Breathe, passing out isn't something you should do at your mother's wedding, _I thought and turned towards the main door as Alice came out of the bathroom.

Her small hand rested on my upper arm as she looked up at me with apologetic eyes. "I know I must've sounded rude but Edward," she mumbled, closing her eyes tightly. "He just won't change himself until he has a reason to. Maybe… you can be the reason?"

A small nod rolled through my body as if I understood. I never thought that my leaving would cause Edward to change so drastically. I wasn't that important to him, but maybe I was and I never realized. "I'll come back," I said, decision ringing in my voice. "But not for the reasons you want me to."

She flashed me a smile before slipping out the door and dancing downstairs. I shut the door after her and leaned my head up against it. Edward _had_ change, more than I expect but then again _I_ had changed as well. I wasn't the same thin girl with braces. I had straight teeth, pale skin that made sure I never had to wear makeup, and from what I figured, curves.

I heard a small giggle behind me and whirled around to see Phil's little sister, Amy. Why was I being so jumpy today? She did a small curtsy and smiled widely up at me. "You look pretty," she told me as her hands reached out to touch the silky fabric.

"You look pretty too," I replied with a small wink which made her giggle more. My lips curved into a wide smile.

There was a soft knock on the door and I opened it a crack to see the smiling face of one of Phil's friends. I rolled my eyes as he said, "Are you ready? Is she ready?"

I laughed, opening the door a bit more. "We are all ready so we'll meet you down at the bottom of the stairs in ten, okay?"

He nodded and scurried down the stairs to where I could see the others were. I pressed my lips together and turned back to the room full of women, some weeping happily and some just standing there bored. Yeah, bored was the word for it. I hugged Amy quickly before stepping into the center of the room.

I tried to think back to when Edward taught me to whistle loudly but it seemed to have escaped my memory so I made a mental note of things to make sure to ask Edward and things.

1. Have him teach me to whistle again.

I'd have to write that down later so that I don't forget as I let my lips part so I could yell loud enough. "Everyone," I shouted loudly, seeing everyone's eyes turn towards me. My cheeks darkened as I blushed and dropped my eyes to the floor. "We have to be downstairs in six minutes."

Now if you have always wondered how it looks when all hell has broken loose, then all you have to do is tell women they have six minutes till the wedding officially starts. A few panicked looks crossed faces and that's when the running began. I was glad I had Alice to get me ready early because I think I was one of the only people calm.

I stepped beside my mother as she stared into the mirror, I hugged myself to her as we stared at our reflections. This was a moment that I wondered if I'd ever forget.

_**

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**_

_**Thanks everyone who reviewed this story. Also to those who favorited and subscribed to my story. This story isn't going to get edited by a beta. So this is the rough draft! **_

_Song(s) For This Chapter: Weightless by All Time Low_

_**Next chapter is the wedding/reception. And you'll get to see a glimpse at Player Edward. :P**_

_**Here's a little sneak peek;**_

My hands knotted together as I stood off to the side of the dance floor, my eyes darted around to see that _now_ Edward was alone. But what confused me the most was that he was walking towards me.

He offered me his hand before murmuring, "Would you like to dance with me, Jingle Bells?"


	3. Chapter Two: Falling For The Player

_**Here's a little author's explanation; I've been really busy but now I've got a ton of more time again so I'll be trying to update once a week as well as my other stories. My beta hasn't gotten back to me lately so I'm just posing chapters now. But anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter, review!

* * *

**_

It was kind of weird to walk down the aisle before my mom, just the thought of it sent chills down my spine. Wasn't she suppose to wait until after I got married to do… this? I guess not, though there was nothing very original with my family and friends because we were all kind of different. I was careful as I walked down the aisle, making sure not to stumble or fall over.

Every time my hair moved in a way that Alice hadn't wanted it too, she glared at it as if she could force it back to the right place. I felt several stares on my back as I passed certain people, maybe a few low whispers but nothing I could hear.

As I took my spot at the place next to where my mother would be standing, I shifted on my feet. Subtle enough that no one would notice. I knew I wouldn't cry today, maybe get teary eyed, but never cry. I hadn't cried in a long time and I wasn't going to start today. But then it hit me as I watched everyone stand up as the music began, one day I'd be standing up here with the guy I loved. One day, this wouldn't be my mom… it would be me.

I rolled my shoulders back as I relaxed, she looked beautiful and I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see that Phil agreed with me. Her brown hair was curled and looked longer than it was, seeming passed her shoulders when it was only to her shoulders. Her dress moved with her as though it was a piece of her, another part of her body.

I felt a pang of jealousy as I watched Phil smile at her, its not that I was attracted to him but because of _how_ he was looking at her. I wanted someone to look at me and smile at me the way he was doing with her. When my mother met Phil at the top of the aisle, I swear I cracked a smile which widened into a grin as they walked closer.

Love is something I don't need or want to understand. But I've read about it, seen it and heard it. The only difference is never getting to feel it but maybe I am just a late bloomer. I felt my hands tighten around my flowers as I watched love come across the couple's faces, jealousy. Yes, I had an evil green monster that came out whenever I noticed what love was or the way that love happens so unexpectantly. The person you fall in love with is the person you least expect.

Almost out of habit my eyes darted over to Edward but all feeling washed out of my body as I looked at him. His green eyes were focused on someone that wasn't anywhere near the main part of the wedding, causing my eyes to trail over to whoever he was looking at. My eyes paused on a blond who I vaguely remembered as Tanya, Phil's half cousin or something like that. But I couldn't honestly blame him, I was pretty sure most of the men in the room were staring at her.

Tanya was the definition of beauty, her long blond hair was slightly curled and her skin was perfect from where I was standing which meant she just wore a lot of makeup. But these days who didn't? Other than me, when Alice couldn't get her hands on me.

The wedding went faster than I thought, maybe I was out of it or something. But soon I was up in the bridal room, changing out of my dress into a different one I'd chosen for the reception. The dress reached my knees, it was a dark green color and dipped into a V shape. I left my shoes up there, not needing them for the reception.

I walked down the stairs, stumbling at one point causing me to land flat on my ass. With a groan I stood back up and shook it off. It didn't hurt that bad, at least it wouldn't bruise or be visible to anyone.

Alice danced over to me with a smile. "Come on, Bella. The reception is starting and I think they'd be mainly upset if you didn't go in there." she said with a smile before shrugging and taking my hand.

She led me towards the room and left me outside the door, saying that she needed to go grab something from the car. I shrugged it off and let her go before entering the room. The reception was pretty close to perfect, the ceiling was covered with white Christmas lights that dipped down every so often. I let my eyes trail towards where I knew my mom was, her white dress hanging close to her body as Phil took her hand. They walked out onto the dance floor, his hand seemed to tighten in hers and it made me smile. I watched them as the music began to start in the background…

_Desperate for changing, starving for truth_

_I'm closer to where I started while chasing after you_

_I'm falling even more in love with you_

_Letting go of all I've held on to_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

It only took me a moment to notice Edward wasn't by his family, which caused my curiosity to grow. Well that was until I saw who he was dancing with… Tanya's face was lit by the Christmas lights, a smile placed on her lips as she talked to him. I narrowed my eyes at Edward as I noticed the bored expression on his face.

I knew Tanya wasn't the most interesting person in the world and that she could go on and on about stupid things but Edward had gotten himself into this by checking her out at the wedding. He probably was like any other guy, just wanting to get laid. But I couldn't let myself believe that, he was still the best friend that cried when I left… right? He was still the boy that watched it rain with me.

I hope I wasn't making the wrong choice to trust him again.

_Forgetting all I'm lacking, completely incomplete_

_I'll take your invitation, you take all of me now_

_I'm falling even more in love with you_

_Letting go of all I've held on to_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

_I'm living for the only thing I know_

_I'm running and not quite sure where to go_

_And I don't know what I'm diving into_

_Just hanging by a moment here with you_

I felt someone standing by my side, making me tear my eyes away from Edward and to them. My eyes landed on Alice who was also looking at Edward, a sad expression rested on her face. "He's changed," she whispered and I wondered if she wanted me to even hear what she was saying. "I miss my old brother, the one that left with you."

The way she said that caused me to glance back over at Edward, he looked the same. My eyes trailed down him slowly, making sure he really hadn't changed much. My breath caught in my throat when I looked back up and met his eyes. Damn he'd caught me staring. My heart was pounding slightly as his green eyes searched mine from across the dance floor. It took him a moment but he gave me a smile.

I blushed a little and glanced back over at Alice. "He seems like the old Edward to me," I murmured back to her as I stared at my bare feet. She sighed and shrugged a bit. "But," I added quickly. "The night isn't over yet."

"No," she agreed. "Not yet."

_There's nothing else to lose, there's nothing else to find_

_There's nothing in the world that can change my mind_

_There is nothing else_

_There is nothing else_

_There is nothing else_

_Desperate for changing, starving for truth_

_I'm closer to where I started while chasing after you_

Alice took my hand and led me towards her family as she chatted, "So Jasper, my boyfriend, came to meet you. He's the one with the blonde hair and blue eyes. He can be shy and quiet but he is really nice and I know you and him will get along just fine!" she said before continuing on, "Anyways, I was wondering if you were ever going to go up and visit Charlie because I'd like to be able to hang out with you more. I mean I know that we talked about this earlier but you know I'm not the type to let it go. "

I chewed on my lower lip as she asked me about that, I really hadn't visited Charlie in a long time… It made me think, my mom had just gotten married and probably would want some alone time with Phil and I probably didn't want to be around that. I figured maybe staying for awhile longer than I had planned before, might benefit for everyone. "Maybe," I muttered softly. "I'll stay with Charlie for the next year or so, give my mom time with Phil."

"Really?!" Alice screeched, if only she knew what quiet was. "Charlie is going to be so happy and you can hang out with me a ton. Then maybe we can see if Edward will change while your around."

"I doubt he will," I said honestly.

Alice shrugged and pulled me into a tight hug. How did she get so strong? I sighed softly, letting my eyes wander toward Edward. "You never know." she said, almost soft enough that I couldn't hear it. "So Esme has redone our house, it looks awesome. I got Emmett's old room since he left for college, so I have the biggest room between Edward and I. They change my room though into Edward's private music room, he has gotten amazing on the piano. You'll just have to hear him. But when you come, you have to let me do a makeover… maybe you can do a fashion show for Esme and Rosalie, Emmett's very serious girlfriend. They met at college and yeah."

I laughed and put my hand over her mouth. "Slow down, we have all night to catch up." I told her with a grin.

_I'm falling even more in love with you_

_Letting go of all I've held on to_

_I'm standing here until you make me move_

_I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

_I'm living for the only thing I know_

_I'm running and not quite sure where to go_

_And I don't know what I'm diving into_

_Just hanging by a moment here with you_

I stopped next to Emmett, who was eat some food. He must've visited the buffet table first and then come over to the dance floor. He looked down at me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me tightly against his side. "So Bella, how's your life?" he asked as he eat something off of his plate, my stomach growled softly.

"Good," I said, unsure about how to answer it. "Its really crazy right now but I'm thinking about staying with Charlie for awhile till my life calms down then I'll probably go and stay with Renee afterwards."

"Oh cool," he said with a smirk. "Now I'll have more chances to make you blush because I've missed doing that." When I blushed, he squeezed my shoulders tightly. "So tell me, you got anyone special in your life?"

My eyes went wide and I glanced around to see if anyone was looking. I met Edward's curious gaze and I instantly knew he'd heard Emmett's question. "No," I muttered under my breath. "I've been on several dates but nothing too serious. Either way, I heard that you were with someone now, Rosalie right?"

"Yes," he said with a smile. "She is amazing, I am in complete love with her." I smiled and bit my lower lip, if only I knew how that felt. I glanced over when the song began to come to a close, realizing I'd miss my mom dancing with Phil and I noticed Edward and Tanya were making their way over here.

_Just hanging by a moment_

_Hanging by a moment_

_Hanging by a moment_

_Hanging by a moment here with you_

My lips parted slightly as Edward led Tanya over to where I was standing with Emmett, seeing as Alice had disappeared with Jasper. I noticed that Edward was resting his hand on the small of her back instead of holding her hand. Tanya noticed me and placed a surprised but happy expression on her face, it was fake and most likely just for Edward's benefit. "Isabella," she said with a smirk. "I didn't think you knew Edward's family."

I felt Emmett shift next to me, it would seem that she only knew Edward and they must've met today. "Well, you wouldn't know them if I hadn't invited them," I stated, glancing around hoping for a way out of this conversation. "They are old friends of _mine_."

Tanya caught onto what I meant, I was placing the boundaries that the Cullen family was mine and I knew she wasn't going to agree with that. Sensing the gravity of the moment, Edward placed a hand on Tanya's shoulder before leaning in to whisper something. It made her giggle and made me frown. Edward glanced up at me for a moment before leading Tanya out of the room to do God knows what. It made me feel slightly empty, seeing that he'd chosen her over me, his best friend.

Emmett let out a sigh. "You can see that he isn't the same person you left, can't you?" he asked with a frown formed on his lips.

"I can see that now."

8o8o8o

The reception was winding down enough for everyone to finally get food so I decided to go find Alice, knowing that I need to talk to her. I made my way down the quiet hall wondering where she was, hopefully not naked. When I heard giggling and several other noises that I really didn't need to hear, come from a janitors closet. I hoped it was Alice right off the bat because I did not want to know who else was having sex at my mom's wedding.

I quietly walked up to the door, trying not to trip as I approached. The door was slightly ajar so I could see everything that was going on. My eyes widened as I took in Tanya's long legs wrapped around Edward's waist and Edward kissing her neck. I could see that Tanya was basically naked other than the black underwear that still was on. Edward was shirtless and that was about it, but as I stood there I knew that they wouldn't want me to see this.

As quiet as I could, I turned away from the door and tried to get back toward the reception but being me it just wasn't that easy. My foot caught the corner of a small table nearby the door and I tripped, "Shit." I mumbled under my breath as I took in my torn dress. The table seemed to be unbalanced now and before I could move, it and everything on it clattered to the floor. "Damnit." I shouted, not caring anymore if they heard me.

The moment Edward appeared out of the door, still shirtless and his slacks were undone, followed by Tanya who was trying to keep up her dress, she was clearly frazzled. My eyes darted up, my cheeks darkening as I met Edward's furious gaze but when he realized it was me his eyes softened somewhat.

I quickly stood up and fixed the table, or tried to. It fell back over and I glanced up at Edward to see him still staring at me, I shook my head. "Sorry for interrupting." I muttered as I dashed back down the hall without a second glance.

I got inside to see Alice standing next to Emmett and I gave out a loud sigh. She glanced over to see me and looked at the dress. "Bella," she said, clearly upset by the tear. "What the hell happened to the dress? To you?"

I realized then that I had a few tears streaming down my face and I quickly wiped away the wet feeling on my cheeks. "I fell." was my only answer before Alice pulled me into a hug, causing me to want to cry even more. Alice had gotten my double meaning on that, unlike Emmett who gave us both a confused look.

"You fall all the time, Bella." he said.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Em, this time it was different."

8o8o8o

"Everyone," the DJ announced from the stage where he was play. "This is the final song of the night."

I'd calmed down since I caught Tanya and Edward in the closet, my mind cursed with the images of them together. It made me sick and hurt that he would do this to me but then again he wasn't mine and I couldn't control him. I felt tired as I sat in the chair, watching Alice with Jasper who continued to share kisses.

Jealousy is my new vibe, no one will ever love me like that.

I stood up, wondering if there was any food left but I doubted it. Emmett had gone through the line several times before he was finally full. Now I was standing alone, was it any better than sitting alone?

My hands knotted together as I stood off to the side of the dance floor, my eyes darted around to see that _now_ Edward was alone. But when confused me the most was that he was walking towards me.

He reached me before offering his hand to me. He murmured, "Would you like to dance with me, Jingle Bells?"

I sighed, thinking about saying no. I mean I had just seen him with another woman but he was still my best friend, I knew it would be harsh if I said no. "Fine," I said but paused before taking his hand. "Just promise me you won't let me fall."

He gave me a smile before entwining our fingers. "I promise."

_I'm looking at you through the glass_

_Don't know how much time has past_

_Oh, God it feels like forever_

_But no one ever tells you_

_That forever feels like home_

_Sitting all alone inside your head_

He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him as the song started. I felt him lift me up and place my feet on top of his, causing me to wrap my arms around his neck to keep from falling. "I thought I told you not to let me fall." I whispered to him.

He chuckled and shrugged, my arms loosening around his neck. "You wouldn't have fallen but I also didn't want you to complain about not being able to dance." he said, still chuckling to himself. It made me want to hit him but I didn't. I couldn't.

"Thank you," I said, pausing for a moment. "For being up my dance skills."

I felt his breath against my cheek, stirring my hair. "Anytime." he murmured softly before I rested my head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

_How do you feel?_

_That is the question_

_But I forget_

_You don't expect an easy answer_

_When something like a soul_

_Becomes initialized_

_And folded up like paper dolls and little notes_

_You can't expect the bitter folks_

_And while your outside looking in_

_Describing what you see_

_Remember what your staring at is me_

"So are you ever going to come and visit Forks?" he asked as I pulled back to see if he was serious and it was clear he was. In the light his hair seemed to be darker than usual until he moved and I caught a glimpse of the bronze texture in his hair, it made my heart stop.

"I'm thinking about staying with Charlie and giving the newly weds sometime alone," I said with a shrug, not really sure when I'd really be going up there.

"You'll have to call me when you do. We need to hang out." he murmured with a smile.

_Cause' I'm looking at you through the glass_

_Don't know how much time has past_

_All I know is that it feels like forever_

_And no one ever tells you_

_That forever feels like home_

_Sitting all alone inside your head_

_How much is real_

_So much to question_

_An epidemic of the mannequins_

_Contaminating everything_

_And if that came from the heart_

_It never did, right from the start_

_Just listen to the noises(Now I'm more, instead of voices)_

"So why don't you have a boyfriend, Jingle Bells?" he asked as he spun us making me frown. He seemed to truly be curious about the cause behind my still being single. Though it was no secret that I didn't know the exact reason.

"I don't know… no one my type?" I said, stating it like a question before shaking my head. I looked up at him, meeting his eyes where I could see silent laughter that he was holding in. "What about you?"

He bit his lower lip. "The right person hasn't come around yet I guess." He shrugged off the question, not feeling the need to go into deeper context which made me feel good. I didn't want to hear about his personal life.

Though I was sure, eventually I would.

_Before You tell yourself_

_It's just a different scene_

_Remember it's just different from what you've seen_

_I'm looking at you through the glass_

_Don't know how much time has past_

_Now all I know is that feels like forever_

_And no one ever tells you_

_That forever feels like home_

_Sitting all alone inside your head_

"Edward," I whispered after a moment, my eyes trailing along the room as I met people's eyes, most were curious. "What happened to you?" I needed to know a what point did he suddenly decide that being that type of guy was what he wanted to be.

"I'm still me, I just get women now." he said with an almost cocky tone, causing me to snap out of the haze that I had previously been in when I had been dancing with him.

Edward was a player, a cold player and he knew it. Was this him trying to play me like he had Tanya?

I stumbled out of his grip as if it burned now, even though I knew that my feelings for him hadn't changed… I knew that eventually I was going to get played. That was why he cared if I was single. It was why he even cared at all.

_Cause' I'm looking at you through the glass_

_Don't know how much time has past_

_Now all I know is that it feels like forever_

_And no one ever tells you_

_That forever feels like home_

_Sitting all alone inside your head_

_And it's the stars... the stars... that shine for you_

_And it's the stars... the stars... that lie to you_

I glanced around, seeing that everyone was looking at me and Edward. He took a step trying to close the distance between us, he was trying to calm me down but he was the cause. I stepped back again, stumbling into a table.

A tear streaked down my cheek as I turned towards the door, my hand clutching the door knob. "You aren't the same person I remember." I whispered as I opened the door, now my tears coming harder.

"Bella…" his voice was pleading me to stay, to stop and listen to him but my heart couldn't deal with this.

"You aren't the best friend anymore." I said as I ran out the door and down the hall without a second glance.

_I'm looking at you through the glass_

_Don't know how much time has past_

_Oh, God it feels like forever_

_But no one ever tells you_

_That forever feels like home_

_Sitting all alone inside your head_

_Cause' I'm looking at you through the glass_

_Don't know how much time has past_

_All I know is that it feels like forever_

_But no one ever tells you_

_That forever feels like home_

_Sitting all alone inside your head_

I reached the bottom of the stairs before collapsing against the wall, tears coming. He wasn't the person I'd left years ago. He wasn't the best friend I remembered. He was a player, a hard core player and he didn't even care.

I knew Alice was sitting next to me because she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and began to cry to. Everyone falls for the wrong person once… right? I remember when it used to be Edward whose shoulder I cried on.

_And it's the stars... the stars... that shine for you_

_And it's the stars... the stars... that lie to you_

_And it's the stars... the stars... that shine for you_

_And it's the stars... the stars... that lie to you_

_Oh, when the stars... Oh, when the stars... they lie_

8o8o8o

Flashback

_I sat down on the empty sidewalk outside my house, my mom and dad were fighting again. A tear slipped down my cheek as I began to cry, why couldn't they just get along and be in love like Edward's parents? Some days I wished I was part of Edward's family._

"_Bella?" his soft voice, like silk, called to me. I knew he was coming over to play with me and that was why I was outside._

_I glanced up at him, my red eyes taking in his perfect appearance. "Edward…" I whimpered as he sat down, letting me lean my head against his shoulder. I cried softly, knowing he didn't care if I got tears on his shirt._

"_They're fighting again huh?" he asked as he rested his forehead against the top of mine. I wanted to be able to talk to him but I couldn't… not now._

_I nodded and looked up at him with a hopeful expression, "Let's not talk about it… I just want to be with you."_

_He laughed softly. "That can be arranged."

* * *

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_**Reviewing is love: Writers need love. If you want more Player Edward, Bella Romancing Edward, or Tanya Being Tanya. Review. Chapters come faster with the more reviews I get. (Just saying.)**_

_Song(s) For This Chapter: Hanging By A Moment by Lifehouse & Through the Glass by Stone Sour_

_**Here's a little sneak peek of the upcoming chapter;**_

"He's mine," she snapped at me as she pushed me against one of the walls. I gasped slightly as my head made contact. "He doesn't even like you."

"He's my best friend," I said, my eyes darting around for help that I knew wasn't going to come not for me. My dress was going to be in rags by the end of the night, I realized as I noticed yet another tear. A tear streaked down my cheek as I rested my head against the wall just waiting. "He was mine first."

"That is true," said a different voice, a familiar one. My eyes darted up to meet a pair of green ones.


End file.
